Turning White Space Into WiFi: Google Plan Gets FCC Approval

Nine companies, including Google (GOOG), have received Federal Communications Commission approval to use unused broadcast frequencies -- so-called "white spaces" -- to expand the availability of wireless broadband.

"While the operation of multiple database administrators may present some coordination challenges, we find it is in the public interest to have multiple parties developing business models for this new mechanism," the FCC said in a statement Wednesday. "The value of this exercise extends beyond databases for the TV bands, as the Commission is also considering employing similar database approaches in other spectrum bands."

The use of white spaces for broadband "will lead to the next generation of wireless technologies," Larry Alder, Google business operations principal, wrote In a blog post Thursday. "Today, we're one step closer to a world with super WiFi."